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Articles

"Beyond "Presenter View": Dual Monitor Presentations in PowerPoint," John Smart, 2006
A brief guide to doing PowerPoint presentations in Dual Monitor mode, allowing presenters to have readable onscreen notes to accompany each slide.

"Curcumin: A Powerful Brain Protection Supplement," and "A Basic Brain Protection Plan," John Smart, 2006
A discussion of recent research regarding curcumin, an affordable and very potent brain protection supplement, and an argument that anyone interested in a better brain should be on it today. Accompanying this article is another outlining ten key strategies (six dietary, four non-dietary) to consider in a modern brain protection plan.

"Driving Toward an Electric Future: Natural Gas, Nanobatteries, and PHEV's (Next-Generation Hybrids)," John Smart, 2006
A discussion of trends pushing us toward Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle networks in coming years. The new nanobatteries (5X greater cycle duty and rapid filling ability) can allow battery refilling in 10 minutes using high-amperage chargers at tomorrow's filling stations, and tomorrow's power grids will be much more decentralized than today's gasoline stations, supporting even greater city densities.

"A Practical Wearable Computer: How to Make Your Own Tummy PC," John Smart, 2005, 2006
A how-to guide for those, including writers, who might benefit from using a practical and affordable wearable computer today.

"Underground Automated Highways (UAH) for High Density Cities: Post-2030 Urban Transportation," John Smart, 2005
A framework forecast for one important piece of the future of urban transportation. It relies on the convergence of several enabling technologies, such as tunnel boring systems, automated highway systems, and zero emission vehicle systems, and their superior efficiencies, safety, and public desirability over other high capacity transportation options, such as aerial systems.

"Measuring Innovation in an Accelerating World: Review of "A Possible Declining Trend for Worldwide Innovation," Johnathan Heubner, TF&SC 2005," John Smart, 2005
Consideration of the reasons behind the apparent decline in global innovation that has been independently observed by a small number of technology scholars in recent decades.

"Human Performance Enhancement in 2032: A Scenario for Military Planners," John Smart, 2005
A scenario proposing mild biotechnology and powerful information technology developments in the coming generation, and an introduction to the concept of the valuecosm and basic implications for security planning.

"What I Believe But Cannot Prove: Speculations on Evolutionary Development and the Cosmic Purpose of Accelerating Change,"John Smart, 2004
1,000 word precis of the developmental singularity hypothesis, one paradigm for accelerating universal change.

"The Political-Economic Pendulum: The United States Example" and "Digital Activism: Youth Education in the Plutocratic and Unilateral United States of the Early 21st Century," John Smart, from Thinking Creatively in Turbulent Times, Howard Didsbury, Ed., 2004. The first article makes the case that the degree of centralization seen in political and economic systems follows a simple pendular dynamic, and that our recent twenty five year history of increasing political and economic plutocracy in U.S. society must swing back toward greater democracy when environmental conditions are ready, as has clearly occurred at least four previous times in U.S. history. The second article suggests general strategies for parents to improve youth education in the present environment.

"Considering the Singularity: A Coming World of Autonomous Intelligence," John Smart, from 21st Century Opportunities and Challenges, Howard Didsbury, Ed., 2003.
A brief introductory explanation of the implication of accelerating trends in computer autonomy and intelligence.

"Answering the Fermi Paradox: Exploring the Mechanisms of Universal Transcension," John Smart, from Journal of Evolution and Technology, June 2002.

"The Coming Technological Singularity," Vernor Vinge, 1993
The classic article that, in conjunction with the birth of the world wide web, renewed discussion of accelerating technological change in the world community.

Books

Humanity 3000 Seminar 4 Proceedings, John Smart, Aug 21-23, 2003 (PDF, 350 pages)
The fourth Humanity 3000 event at the Foundation for the Future. Every few years the Foundation invites a group of multidisciplinarians to discuss and debate big picture issues for the long term future of humanity, in three time frames (25 years, and a much more dubious 250 years and 1,000 years). Seminar 4 involved Dan Barker, Don Beck, Charlie Brass, Angela Close, Carl Coon, Peter Corning, Paul Davies, Russell Genet, John Hartung, Ronald Moore, Adriana Ocampo, Gary Schwartz, Seung-Schik Yoo, myself, facilitated by Sesh Velamoor, Walter Kistler, Bob Citron, and other members and observers at the Foundation. I made a case for the importance, nuances, and challenges of adapting to accelerating technological change.

 

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